April 18, 2011

Printmaking Techniques

Lindsay: monotype created in our printmaking class. Printmaking is a process for producing a work of art in ink; the work called a print is created indirectly, through the transfer of ink from the surface upon which the work was originally drawn or composed. Performing this printmaking can be done in the following techniques. The most popular are the woodcut, etching, lithography, and screen-printing. Other printmaking techniques include chine-collé, collography, monotyping, engraving, drypoint, mezzotint, linocut, aquatint and batik. These techniques can also be combined.

Woodcut is a type of relief print thought to be the earliest printmaking technique, dating back to 9th century China. The artist draws a sketch on a plank of wood and then uses sharp tools to carve away the parts of the block that he/she does not want to receive the ink. The raised parts of the block are inked with a brayer and then a sheet of paper, perhaps slightly damp, is placed over the block. The block is then rubbed with a baren or spoon, or is run through the press.

Etching prints are generally linear and often contain fine detail and contours. Lines can vary from smooth to sketchy. A waxy acid-resist, known as a ground, is applied to a metal plate. After the ground has dried the artist uses a sharp tool to scratch into the ground, exposing the metal. The plate is then completely submerged in an acid that eats away at the exposed metal. This process is known as biting. The waxy resist protects the acid from biting the parts of the plate that have not been scratched into. The longer the plate remains in the acid the deeper the incisions become. The plate is removed from the acid and the ground is removed with a solvent such as turpentine. The entire plate is inked. A wad of cloth is often used to push the ink into the incised lines. The surface is wiped clean with a piece of stiff fabric known as tarlatan or newsprint paper. The wiping leaves ink only in the incisions. A damp piece of paper is placed over the plate and it is run through the press.

Lithography a printing technology developed a method of imaging limestone from which a print was produced. Based on the principle that oil and water do not mix, an aluminum or plastic plate is coated with a photopolymer film that is exposed to light through a photographic mask. The exposed areas are chemically "hardened," and the unexposed areas are dissolved when the plate is put through a chemical process. When printing a page, the plate is dampened, and the water adheres only to the unexposed, non-image areas, which repell the greasy ink that is applied to the plate immediately thereafter.

Screen-printing also known as "silk-screening" creates bold color using a stencil technique. The artist draws an image on a piece of paper or plastic film can also be used. The image is cut out creating a stencil. A screen is made of a piece of fabric stretched over a wood frame. The stencil is affixed to the screen. The screen is then placed on top of a piece of dry paper or fabric. Ink is then placed across the top length of the screen. A squeegee (rubber blade) is used to spread the ink across the screen, over the stencil, and onto the paper/fabric. The screen is lifted and the image is transferred onto the paper/fabric. Each color requires a separate stencil. The screen can be re-used after cleaning.

December 26, 2010

Collage Artists

Collage Artist: Elaine Brady Smith

Collage is a vital innovation in art from the 20th century, and this can be stated with confidence since there is absolutely nothing parochial about the medium. It’s drawn international artists and has already been modified to any or all types of two-dimensional work.

Elaine Anthony, a painter that specialised in lush semi-abstract scenery. Ms. Anthony began her creative profession producing wire sculptures, fabric banners and paintings on fabric, usually accomplished as commissions for Mexican hotels. Her work grew up to semi-abstract scenery as well as collages, usually fulfilled in a loose painterly style.

Karen Landey is really a proficient Oregon-based collage artist and videographer. Karen’s creative urges took her on a quite interesting route during the period of her life. She has generally searched for things to do which are enjoyable and inspiring and also the creative procedure she created growing up continues to be maintained all through her life. Over the course of a very long time Karen continues to be involved in many creative endeavors such as sewing cloth, batik, jewelry making, writing, airbrush painting, photography, videography, mixed media and digital collage. She has usually discovered a way to communicate her imagination via a various platforms.

Robert Rauschenberg was one of the many American collage artists who grew to become notable during the 50′s crossover from Abstract Expressionism to Pop Art. Rauschenberg is acknowledged for his “Combines”, in which non-traditional objects as well as things ended up being used in groundbreaking combos. Rauschenberg was each a painter plus a sculptor, however he additionally toiled with taking photos, printmaking, papermaking, and performance. Rauschenberg’s occupation demonstrates much more about the New York art local community. His state of mind toward the actual ways of art widened to media, women and men, almost everything.

Joseph Cornell was one of the numerous American collage artists yet far better be referred to as being a homebody artist. Cornell, a slim, grey wraith of a man, was such as one of the odd-duck daydreamers in an Anne Tyler book. His belongings were his artwork and box assemblages. This particular reclusive, long-beaked man will sally forth on modest trips including knowledge, scavenging for artefacts of history throughout New York junk shops and flea trading markets. To Cornell they were the strata of repressed memory, a jumble of elements prepared to be grafted and mated together.

Painter and collage artist Jess Collins. “He had been the fundamental San Francisco artist,” stated Harry Parker, director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, who knew Mr. Collins well. “His political views and his nice creative design, his association using the poetry picture, his advocacy of gay rights — all of the issues that came into his work were so associated with the San Francisco perspective. Only here would you picture work like his being made.”

Originally a chemist who worked on the Manhattan Project, Jess abandoned science and became an artist to protest nuclear weapons. Jess: To and From the Printed Page explores his relationship with printed materials, "as food and inspiration for his literary, esoteric vision."

Sam Price is a San Francisco based collage artist who focuses on pet portraits. He is a self-taught artist and had usually used accessible materials included in his instinctive procedure for making art. First, he reports the image, focusing on the nuances of the mouth and eyes. And then make an in depth power grid on the canvas to do something as a blueprint for that picture. He reuses a lot of the old magazines and sign up for a ton of magazines and spend considerable time simply searching for the supplies which best match the fabric, trying to find the perfect color match. He usually experienced about ten to fifteen magazines open immediately and cut the images in to 1 or one-and-a-half-inch squares. Beginning with the eyes he is able to generally know if the portrait is taking form, if they can get the proper similarity within the eyes.

December 22, 2010

Creating a Custom Collage Artwork

Custom collage artwork is always a special type of art that will hold its value for more than a lifetime. Creating a custom collage artwork is a technique of composing work of art by pasting on one surface numerous materials not usually associated with each other. You don't need to be an artist in order to create a collage that artistically displays your pictures. Making a collage is fun, easy, and creative. You are going to make a collage to represent who you are. Determine what kind of things you like, what are your hobbies, favorite colors, and favorite singers. You can put anything that you love into your collage! Be creative! It's about things that interest you.

You don't need to be an artist in order to create a collage that artistically displays your pictures. You can choose recycle and other materials with your photographs. Try various techniques such as a decoupage method (which uses multiple copies of the same image, cut and layered to add apparent depth) or manipulate images with "Photoshop." You can also search online for a collage maker for tips.

Assemble and set aside a selection of photographs to include in the collage. Selections can range from inspiration, subject matter to a topic. Alternatively, choose a mixed selection of favorite photos.

Decide on mixed media by using additional bits and pieces to produce a collage with depth, texture, color and meaning. Cut out expressive words in magazines or newspapers that is related to your photographs or your emotions. If you can’t find expressive words with your materials at home, use your computer and play with different color and fonts.

It’s time to arrange the photo on the board and overlap in blank areas. Use one photograph as a focal point and arrange your photo around it. With the focal photograph, decide on a color scheme for the overall collage. Once you have a pleasing composition, blend in non-photographic items. At this stage, consider if the colors are balanced and if the arrangement is creatively composed.

Use a pencil to write the location of the photos before lifting them off the board. It’s time to build the collage in stages. Shift through the chosen photos and select the important aspects of the picture that should be saved. Tear some of the photographs to enhance the artistic elements in the collage.

Now replace the cropped photos and insert more picture or items as necessary. Start grouping the pictures closer together to the edged border of canvas. This area can be brushed later with metallic translucent paint or create a weathered effect with sepia ink.

Lift bottom pictures first and glue them to the board, one at a time. Check to see if any sections need to be reattached. Allow the collage to dry overnight. Seal the finished collage with several coats of sealant, allowing each coat to dry before applying another.

Custom collage artwork is a great idea great gift to give your parents, grandparents, partners and best friends. It is also a perfect bonding activity you can do with your love ones together. All you have to do it is follow the steps and process mentioned above.